November 20, 2020
Succeeding the VU way
(Louisa Jones) 221002_05
In an Australian first, 650 students will next month graduate from Victoria University after completing their studies in block mode. Block teaching, introduced at VU in 2018, enables students to study one subject at a time in a four-week “block”, and features smaller class sizes. Geelong’s Imogen Hair is among the class of 2020, earning a bachelor of business with a major in event management. “It 100 per cent benefited me,” she said of the block model. “I did have an experience overseas doing a regular model and the comparison was actually very interesting.” Block teaching has been credited with helping students who struggle with their course and has led to an increase in pass rates and attendance at VU. In the first year, 86 per cent of students passed compared with 74 per cent the previous year before its introduction. Student attendance has been 90 per cent more than double the estimated 40 per cent before block model was introduced. VU vice-chancellor Peter Dawkins said the block model had reinvented tertiary education. Goya Dmytryshchak
Tourists flock to Geelong By Luke Voogt and Justin Flynn Holiday parks across Geelong are struggling to keep up with demand as Melburnians flock to the area to enjoy their new-found freedom. Motorists clogged the Geelong Ring Road from Little River to Waurn Ponds last weekend after the state government dismantled Melbourne’s ‘ring of steel’ on November 9. Tourism Greater Geelong and the Bellarine executive director Brett Ince expected a similar exodus from Melbourne this weekend. “We would expect to see this for the next few weekends,” he said. “It’s definitely a sign of
hope for the tourism industry.” Mr Ince described last weekend’s exodus as unprecedented, barring major events and summer holidays. The tourism board estimates the pandemic has cost the local industry up to 33 per cent of its $1.1 billion yearly revenue – about $360 million – during 2019-2020. While last weekend’s exodus was “a welcome relief”, the board would aim to entice Melbourne travellers “down for the next few months, not just the next few weeks”, Mr Ince said. With COVID-19 restrictions still impacting Geelong as an “events destination”,
the city needed to promote its “myriad” of attractions and 330 open spaces as a “whole experience” to attract longer visits, he said. Mr Ince also welcomed recently-proposed state government plans for $200 vouchers for tourists to regional Victoria. The Bellarine Peninsula is already enjoying the incoming tourist dollars with some holiday parks increasing their business compared to last November. Queenscliff’s Big4 Beacon Resort has taken 400 bookings since November 9 and room bookings are up 36 per cent, according to operations manager Emme Malone. “Since the announcements, it’s been like the
lights switched on again and all of a sudden the phones were ringing all day, every day,” she said. Barwon Coast is also anticipating a prolonged peak season at its three caravan parks, with “phones ringing off the hook”, according to accommodation manager Daniel Payne. Collendina Caravan Park’s Joan Steains said she had taken 212 bookings last weekend and that “things were heating up”. Rod Newnham, the manager of Bellarine Bayside Holiday Park in Portarlington, said his bookings from regional Victoria were up, as well as bookings from Melbourne.
SUBSCRIBE to our DIGITAL EDITION - It's FREE AMAZING SUPER STRETCH JEANS
BREAKAWAY GLOSTER
FROM
$
89.95
LE
504 516
SA
$
89.95 STONE WASH
12471243-HL47-20
12443052-LB10-20
LE
SA
THONGS
Short Sleeve Shirts
$
2 $ for
25
ANSETT WOOL KWITS
$
89.95
8 COLOURS STYLE 3033
T-Shirts
3 $ for
79.90
LE
75
POLOS
SA
CHINOS
$
59.95
SWELL + BLAZE STYLE
WITH POCKETS FROM
$
39.95 UP TO 8XL
THE JOKER SHOPPE 166 High St, Belmont Centreway, Belmont 3216
PH: 5243 4734
BLACK FRIDAY SALE ON
ALL WEEK